Winter In Arturus
by LemonPoppies
Summary: It's a white winter day in the Poptropican kingdom of Arturus, but only one knight takes time to appreciate it. It's a shorty, but sweetie. (Pictured in the cover from left to right: Sir Pellasus, Sir Cador, and Sir Gawain. Didn't feel like colouring. :-P)


Snowflakes waltzed gently through the crisp winter air. They were created with beautiful, unique patterns, and scaled from large to small. Some were carried off by the soft winds, landing on the glass, icy frost window panes of the castle of Kingdom Arturus.

Arturus was a grand place to be in, aside from the past attacks by the horrible sky invaders that kidnapped young Princess Elyana. Fortunately, they were defeated by the kingdom's four nobles- Sir Cador, Sir Pellasus, Sir Gawain, and Lady Hawk. The dedicated knights had risked their lives in search of the fair princess from being held captive by the creator of the attackers: the once notorious cyborg inventor they call the Binary Bard. But when three of the knights had failed to find Princess Elyana or the Binary Bard by themselves, Lady Hawk set out to reunite them so all four of them could defeat the cyborg foe and rescue the princess. Today, the kingdom lives in harmony and peace, with three of the bold knights inhabiting among the protected castle. One of the nobles had visited Arturus one day as usual to see her friends there.

On the opposite side of the frosted-over window were two of the knights themselves, on opposing sides of a small table that held a board game. On the other side of the room was a crackling fireplace to warm up by. The wall above the mantle was decorated with two crossed swords and a shield covering over it. A long, oak-wood table stood in the center of the room, enclosed by a pair of large, soft chairs only holding a single pillow at the moment. There were also two doorways that led out of the room; one on the right-hand wall and the other to the near left of the fireplace.

Pellasus moved his bright brown eyes from the checkered board to Cador's face. Cador was keeping his focus concentrated upon the board, his hand rubbing the soul-patch under his mouth in a questionable manner.

 _He's been thinking for quite awhile,_ thought Pellasus. _When is he going to make his move?_

Pellasus was a man of twenty-five, the same age as Cador and Gawain. His skin was a pleasantly dark shade of brown, and his hair was black, short, and curly, along with the beard stubble on his chin. His armor and helmet were a fiery red and orange, his favorite colours. Pellasus was also a very intelligent noble, and he had his own sense of humor. He could be tolerant with others, but not that often when openly frustrated or angered.

Cador's dull green eyes suddenly lit up. Lifting his hand from his lap, he got ahold of one of his game pieces and brought it over one space, directly on his opponent's own piece.

"Hah!" he exclaimed. "Checkmate, I win!"

Pellasus gave him a peculiar stare, then turned it into a frown. "Cador, we are playing _checkers._ "

Cador pushed his long, reddish-brown hair back and said, "Call it what you'd like; Jenga, Yahtzee, Uno, Philippines, but these board games will all be the same to me."

Pellasus tilted his head down and groaned in frustration. Cador was certainly not the brightest at board games, mostly because he was more of an outdoor person. However, due to the ice and foot of snow, he was stuck inside all day. He did not want his perfectly green armor to be coated over with frost.

Just then, another knight stepped into the glowing room. It was Lady Hawk, the purple knight. She had shaggy, black hair and brown eyes that were darker than Pellasus'. Her deep violet armor fitted nicely over her curvy body. She looked about the room, seeing the two others by the window. She walked up to greet them.

"Hey, guys. What's up?"

Not being from Arturus, or any kingdom in fact, Hawk had a more "modern" language. She had also been the youngest of the four, being only twenty-two.

Pellasus glanced up at her with a warm smile. "Hello, Hawk. We were just finishing up our game of checkers." Cador seemed confused for a moment; they had just started the game a few moves ago.

Hawk looked behind herself, then back ahead. "Where's Gawain?" she asked. "I thought he was with you two."

Cador turned his head slightly to the window in response. "He's out there."

The other two turned to the window also to see Gawain, ice-skating across the wide, frozen lake nearby the castle. Hawk's eyesight followed him for a while, then she said, "All by himself?"

"Who else would be crazy enough to go out in that freezing weather?" Cador said, then shrugged. "Personally, I'd much prefer it to be mid-temperature, like spring."

Hawk nodded. "Me too..." But her face did not change. What kept her staring outside was the emptiness surrounding Gawain. Though he did not physically seem like it, she thought that he was a bit lonesome. Pellasus was also aware of this.

"Hawk," he said to her, "why don't you join him?"

Her eyebrows narrowed in concern. "But I don't know how to skate."

"Then let him teach you," he insisted. "Gawain is a very patient type, so he will be with you."

Hawk put little thought into this before nodding and turning to leave the room.

"So," Cador started, getting back Pellasus' attention, "how about that game of 'Four Square', huh?"

In response, Pellasus angrily smacked the board off the table, flipping it over and scattering the game pieces all over the floor. He crossed his arms and glared directly at him.

Cador reeled back. "Good lord!.. Someone doesn't like board games."

* * *

Gawain held his hands behind his back as he glided about the ice. His fluffy white cape was fluently breezing behind him. His movements flowed smoothly, not stumbling or sharply altering direction. He did not perform any tricks such as twirling or leaping in the air; the aura was too relaxing to rush with adrenaline.

Skidding to a stop in the middle of the rink, Gawain took off his blue helmet and smiled up at the sky. White clouds had blocked it as dots of snow landed on his strong, pale face. Some also blended in with his hair. It was so blond that it was almost white. He breathed in the cold air and sighed thoughtfully. Winter had always been his favorite season of the year. He enjoyed the snow, the holidays, and the thrilling chill of the weather.

Gawain shifted his gaze down to his side at the sound of footsteps on the snow blanket. Hawk was ambling through the white field and taking a seat on the edge of the lake. She took notice of Gawain seeing her and waved at him. With a smile, he skated up to greet her. "Good day, m'lady. Beautiful morrow, isn't it?"

Hawk's ruby red lips curled into the same polite smile. "Hi, Gawain," she said in a shy voice. "I see you're ice-skating by yourself out here."

"Aye. It's nice weather for it, too," he simply said. He bent down to sit next to her and adjusted his skates. Her face turned a bright pink, but she looked down to try and hide it. He glanced over at Hawk. "Ah... so, what are Cador and Pellasus up to?"

Hawk swallowed down her dry throat and tilted her head up to see his bluish-grey eyes. "They're inside the castle, playing a board game by the fire."

Gawain's expression stayed relaxed. "Why don't they come outside? It's a lovely day not to waste."

She picked up her gloved hand and dusted the snow from it. "I guess they don't really like the low temperature," she explained.

"Mind not the temperature," he said with a distant gaze. "The glowing, white beauty of it all should be appreciated." Leaning back into the snow on her hands, Hawk asked out of curiosity, "What do you find beautiful to you in the winter?"

Something glimmered in Gawain's eyes as they darted down to the tight line of snow between him and Hawk. The spiked hair that stuck up from one side of his head lightly fluttered in the wind as he gathered his thoughts. Hawk stared at him and waited for a reply, her face rosy with anticipation. The silence was about to end when he looked at the sky again.

"You don't always need the sun to have a beautiful day. I love winter because... not only does it help me think with its peaceful silence; It has me seek out the things that really put a smile on my face..." His attention drew back to her. "Like you, for instance."

Her face lifted all the way up. "Me?"

He nodded. "Yes. You coming out here to see me really brightened my day, even if the clouds cover up the sun." His hand traveled on to her arm and affectionately skimmed down. "Today, you are the ray of sunshine."

Hawk smiled again at his kind words, and silently studied his face. Her lips parted to reply but nothing came out.

"Hey," Gawain spoke up, "I could show you how to ice-skate."

She laughed nervously. "Heh... I-I don't know about that..." she stuttered.

Gawain drew up his knees and started untying the skates off his boots. "Oh, don't worry, I'll help you keep your balance." He got on his knees in front of her with one of the skates in his hand. After tying it on the bottom of her own boot, he picked up the second skate and did the same with her other boot. She gulped down as she watched him. Then, Gawain stood and brought her hands to his chest for her to stand up with him. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, w-wait, I'm not ready for this!.." Hawk said, staggering her feet on the ice. He quickly put his arms around her waist.

"Don't worry, I've got you," he said.

Hawk clung on to his cold armored shoulders to fully stand herself up straight. His hands trailed up from her waist to her elbows as he gradually backed up for her to start keeping her own balance. He stopped when he was only holding on to her hands.

"Okay, I got it, I got it..." she said, looking down at her steady feet, but they started to wobble and slide upon the ice. " _I don't got it, I don't got it!_ " Gawain chuckled in amusement and put one hand on her waist. "You're okay," he said happily. It was not going to be an easy task to teach Hawk how to keep her balance on the ice. Even so, they both still had fun outside. Winter was not that bad of a season after all. Hawk had fallen down on her rump a couple times, but she always got right back up to her feet to try again.

After a while, Gawain decided to take a break from ice-skating and moved her to a much softer area; the snow. If she ever fell down, the white fluff would break her fall, and would not hurt as much. They obviously could not skate there, but Hawk suggested that they would make a snowman together. Gawain liked the idea, and started to roll a big snowball.

Back inside the castle, Pellasus smiled looking out the window. He liked seeing that Gawain could finally share his joys for the winter with someone else, though Pellasus actually did not like winter himself, as he actually preferred hot weather like the summer.

"Oh, look at them, Cador," he said. "I've rarely seen Sir Gawain smile like that."

Cador only had a flat expression and folded his arms. "Yeah, whatever," he muttered, rolling his eyes. Pellasus smirked at him. _His jealousy is so entertaining,_ he thought.

A servant walked into the room holding a metal platter of four glass cups in her hands. She headed up to the two knights and politely cleared her throat.

"Hot chocolate?" she asked.

Pellasus nodded at her. "Thank you, Annabelle. You may set it on the table."

She set the platter upon the small table and dismissed herself out of the room.

The red knight picked up a cup from it and gently blew the steam away from the surface of the drink. "Cador, do me a favor, please."

"Yes?"

"Could you please call in Lady Hawk and Sir Gawain? Tell them they have hot chocolate waiting inside."

Cador sighed and stood up. "I shall return momentarily." He was not really up for going outside, so he decided to make it quick. He walked out of the room to go fetch the two as Pellasus turned his attention back outside the window whilst sipping his chocolate.

* * *

Hawk plopped the small ball of snow on top of the stack of two bigger snowballs and backed up to admire it. "Not bad, huh?"

"A fine-looking snowman, I might say," said Gawain. "He just needs one last thing."

She turned to him. "What is it?"

Gawain picked up his helmet off the snow and placed it over the snowman's head, making Hawk laugh. "Haha! That's perfect!"

They gazed upon their structure for a moment, then Hawk slightly turned her head to him. "Hey Gawain?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you always outside alone in the winter?"

He shook his head. "Actually, no... not always. Sometimes, I'm joined by the wildlife, like the birds and rabbits." He flashed a smile. "But I've never seen a deer out here... at least not yet." There was in fact an acre of woods right behind the lake that looked as if it could contain at least some deer in there. Gawain usually would have liked to see just one deer in real life, and was eager for a moment like that.

" _Ugh, curse this blasted weather!_ " someone shouted behind them. The two whipped around to see Sir Cador crossing his arms rather tightly and walking outside the castle, trudging into the snow. "How can they stand this godforsaken cold?" he mumbled to himself. Gawain rolled his eyes and nudged Hawk on the arm. "Watch this," he said to her, and bent down to the snow.

Cador finally spotted Hawk and Gawain and began walking closer. "Oy, you two! Pellasus wants you to-"

 _ **WHACK!**_

Cador stumbled back after getting hit by a snowball, not having time to react. It was not the first time he was hit in the face; Hawk had hit him in the face a few months ago with a piece of cake when they were in a middle of a food fight.

Gawain and Hawk laughed. "Sorry, Cador!" she said. Cador furiously wiped the snow off his face and green armor. "Oh, you think that's _funny?!_ " He bent down and shoveled up some snow, hastily rounded it off, and threw a snowball back at them, hitting Hawk on the chest. She only stepped back and smiled dangerously before starting making her own snowballs to throw. War was about to begin.

Pellasus laughed softly watching the three of them have a snowball fight. "I'm glad I stayed inside," he mumbled to himself as a snowball hit the window with a huge _splat._

Cador was lost in the fun in their snowball fight, but then remembered why he came outside in the first place. "Wait, stop!" he said as a snowball hit his chest. He put up his hands. " _Stop!_ "

"What is it, fiend?" shouted Hawk playfully from behind the snowman. She held up her snowball steadily for a pause.

"Er, I surrender!" he said while brushing off the bit of snow off himself. This made Hawk and Gawain lower down their snowballs. "Pellasus wants you back inside for hot chocolate!" Cador quickly added. Hawk grinned in delight and jumped out from behind the snowman when she heard the word "chocolate". "I'm comin'!" She looked at Gawain. "Let's go, bro!"

Gawain smiled. "Sounds great. I'm right behind you."

Hawk ran up to Cador and mushed the snowball on his chest. "I said that I surrender!" he said, laughing. He and Hawk started to walk back inside the castle.

Gawain picked up his helmet and skates and happily followed behind. He had glanced behind him once more to say goodbye to the outdoors for now. At first, he was surprised seeing that something had been staring back.

Hawk and Cador looked behind to make sure he was following, but they were also startled at what they saw, and stopped to stare at it.

Right in front of the opening of the woods, Gawain was staring into the eyes of a large, four-legged creature. It looked sort of like a deer, but its antlers were far too massive, and its dark brown fur was very long. It stood there and stared curiously at Gawain with its mystical black eyes. Gawain immediately assumed that this animal had been living in the woods all this time. From behind the trees, it had been seeing him go outside in the snow every winter, and slowly became fond of him.

After a moment, Gawain smiled at the creature to show some friendliness. It only bowed its head majestically and melted back into the woods. That would probably not have been the last time he would see his new friend of the winter.

The blue knight looked back ahead to see Hawk and Cador still with an astonished expression on their faces. "What was that?" said Cador.

"Was it a deer?" Hawk asked excitedly. "That wasn't any deer," said Gawain, "but an elk. I suspect that it has been in these woods its whole life."

She said, "It was beautiful."

Gawain nodded in agreement, then followed them back inside the castle for that nice cup of hot chocolate.


End file.
